Top-class targets on table as La Petite Coco routs Give Thanks Stakes rivals

Deeply exciting three-year-old La Petite Coco blew her Give Thanks Stakes rivals away to break Aidan O'Brien and Dermot Weld's nearly decade-long stranglehold on the Group 3.

It left trainer Paddy Twomey to contemplate a host of high-profile options.

In what was her first start in Group company, the Team Valor-owned filly took the field apart in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF-backed prize under Billy Lee, with Munster Oaks heroine Thunder Kiss five and a half lengths behind in second.

"She's progressed with every run this year," Twomey told Racing TV of the 2-1 winning favourite.

La Petite Coco: has top-level options after her win in the Give Thanks StakesCredit: David Keane (racingpost.com/photos)

"I said after her last win at Killarney that she might go for the E P Taylor Stakes [at Woodbine], but she's in the Blandford Stakes on Irish Champions Weekend and the Group 1 Qipco British Champions Fillies & Mares Stakes at Ascot; that might be a realistic option."

He added: "She looks like she has every chance that she might go to the top. I'm very lucky that the owners have been good to me since I started training."

Snapraeterea slams rivals

There was also an impressive performance in the other stakes race on Saturday's card as the Joseph O'Brien-trained Snapraeterea stamped his class on the Listed Platinum Stakes, winning by a dominant four lengths at 13-2.

Having been tried over longer trips in three of his four starts since landing the Listed Owenstown Stud Stakes at Naas in May, the Buratino three-year-old relished returning to 7f and getting back on his favoured soft ground.

Snapraeterea: impressive at Cork on SaturdayCredit: David Keane (racingpost.com/photos)

There was a lot of quality about the manner in which the colt, owned and bred by John Farrell, cruised through the race under Declan McDonogh, whereas 2-1 favourite Current Option, bidding for a second consecutive win in the race, beat only one rival home after his Galway festival triumph six days earlier.

Condon continues fine run of form

Ken Condon warmed up for Laws Of Indices's tilt at the Prix Maurice de Gheest with two smart winners, highlighted by a third win in five starts for the much-improved Affable in the €20,000 fillies' handicap.

Picked up for 6,000gns in December, having won one of her eight starts for Ralph Beckett, she failed to show much in her opening runs for the Osborne Lodge trainer and didn't attract a single bid when running in a trio of claimers for €10,000 and €12,000.

Affable: continued her rise through the ranks for Ken CondonCredit: David Keane (racingpost.com/photos)

However, the daughter of New Approach and half-sister to Derby second Libertarian is in the form of her life now, with connections hoping she may be able to earn black type and take up a possible date in the breeding sheds with former stable star Romanised.

Condon said: "Adam Potts, who works for us in the yard, is very good at sourcing these horses and bought her cheaply last year. She's been working out super."

Fresh from a double at Tipperary on Friday night, Condon's Cork brace was initiated by promising newcomer Drombeg Banner in the colours of Cian McAuliffe, making it second time lucky after an encouraging debut.

Results, replays and analysis

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a three-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday